Exodus 1:6-12, 2:1-4, 9-15
6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.
8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”
11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites
Exodus 2:1–4 (NIV)
The Birth of Moses
2 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
Exodus 2:9–15 (NIV)
9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
Moses Flees to Midian
11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”
14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.
Listening guide
Hebrews “multiply greatly” (1:7), “put slave masters over them” (1:11)
We live with ___________ from the _____________ of power.
““Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile”. (1:22)
“he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem who were two years old and under.” (Matthew 2:16)
We all experience ____________ because of the __________ sentence that hangs over us.
6:26-27 It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.” They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.” = “something is not right here”
We are _______________ because of our fallen nature.
“Moses was afraid.” (2:14)
Hope _______________ expectations.
Discussion questions
Notes
Depending on the number of people discussing, it may be easier to split into same gender groups.
You will not have time to discuss all the questions. Discuss those that interest you.
Getting talking
Share two blessings from your life lately.
Does it help to know someone is thinking of you?
Getting into Exodus 1 & 2
Read Exodus 1:21 What do you think it means that the midwives “feared God”? Is that good or bad?
Are you surprised that the midwives thought of God as they went through this situation? Share a time, if you can, when your thought of God changed what you did or said.
Read Exodus 2:3 – 4. Moses’ parents abandoned him. Some people see Moses’ placement in the river as an act of defeat; others see it as an act of faith and trust in God. How do you see it?
What are some actions that today might look like defeat but could also be acts of faith? It might be easiest to speak from your own experience or from what you’ve seen others do.
In America, it is estimated that more than 7,000 children are abandoned annually. If the group wishes, discuss what might cause this and if there is anything that can be done about it in your location.
Read Exodus 2:24. God “remembers” his people in slavery. In several places in Scripture, particularly in times of great plight, scripture says that God “remembered” His people and then acted on their behalf. How might it help you to know that God is thinking of you and your hardships are on His mind?
There are many parallels or similarities between the story of Moses and the story of Jesus. What are some of them?
Despite all the trouble in Egypt, the Israelites complained frequently as they traveled to Canaan. See Numbers 21:4-9. Discomfort in their circumstances and fear of the future kept them from embracing the work God was doing in them at the moment. How might fear or discomfort keep us from appreciating the ways God is working in our lives and challenging us to grow?
Wrap up
How did you see God at work in your life this week?
What has God been teaching you in his Word?
What’s something that you would like someone else to check in with you about this week?
What kind of conversations are you having with non-Christians?
Pray for one another.